Turtle Bay Resort Horseback Riding

It was a beautiful day, but being that I have grown up on horses this was not the ride for me.
You are required to wear helmets and it’s a simple slow walk for 45min. Would have been just as beautiful on foot.

I grew up riding horses, but my boyfriend had never ridden before. We had the most amazing time. The scenery was incredible and the ride was perfect. We did the sunset private ride and it is definitely the way to go especially if you are a first timer. You have less distractions and more one on one time if you need it. Definitely recommend this ride to anyone on the island.

As someone who grew up with horses, being on horseback is one of the most calming things for me. Mix that with someone I love and the beach… basically heaven on earth. The private sunset ride was amazing! Our guide Tina was informative, laid back and extremely personable. The horses are well behaved and obedient but not zombies like some of the trail horses at other stables. Tina took beautiful pictures and this will be an amazing lifelong memory for us.

This is such a beautiful ride, we did the Sunset ride which was totally worth it. Christian was wonderful and really informative. My horses, Nick, had a huge sweet tooth so kept snaking on the greens which was really funny.
The scenery on this ride is just beautiful. The ocean, the trees even the mongoose running through trees was awesome.
I 100% recommend it. Such a beautiful experience.

We did the «Advanced Ride» — first thing in the morning — wow! This is what trail rides should be! Our guide was Raul — very cool dude! He got us set up and off we went. This is another location that’s been used in several movies/​TV shows. The ‘mermaids’ scene from Pirates of the Caribbean 3 (?) was shot in the banyan trees. But never mind that stuff — this was really an ‘advanced’ ride, in that we got to trot and canter — a lot! (More than my wife let’s me canter on our horses :-)) They say they pace it to the level of the least experienced rider — that’d be me. We got a lot of fun riding in on good horses through gorgeous scenery — what more could you ask for? Nice to be on a rental horse that wasn’t ‘done with people’ — he was very responsive. We had a blast. If you’ve got some riding experience, and want to do a ‘real’ trail ride while you’re on the north shore, this is THE place. A+++

We did the sunset ride with Kylie tonight. The ride and Kylie were both amazing! Great views, perfect length, and Kylie told us some great info and took some pics for us. Definitely recommend!

This was the best time. My mom and I did a private ride with Carlos and it was an absolute blast. He was great at letting us ride at our own pace; being a more experienced rider it was great to get to do some cantering and go at a faster pace than the usual trail ride. He was also great at stopping to take photos for us and providing us with great information about the local sights. The trail took us through some great forest area and right along the beach. While it was a bit more expensive than some of the other options nearby I still highly recommend the Turtle Bay resort; between the staff, service, and views it is definitely worth it. This experience made my trip and I most definitely do it again.

EVERY PART of this experience was good for me: The folks in booking were kind, helpful, and got us a good deal. The actual instructions were clear and concise, especially for those who were not comfortable rising. The horses were clean, well-​mannered, and oh so cute! The trail was beautiful, serene, and helped us connect with nature.
I took my mother, who was visiting from out of town. We arrived a little early to confirm appointment, then headed to stables.
Make sure to bring shoes and socks. I wore jeans, because that’s what I normally wear when I ride. Wear sunscreen, and sunglasses if you’d like. They provide helmets.
We went over, got our helmets, put our stuff in the provided locker in the stable office, then went out to meet the horses and talk to the tour guides.
The guides were SUPER awesome, and really made sure we had a good experience. My mom and I both have some experience riding, so we were cool, but I saw that they helped the newbies out so that everyone had a good time.
I will 100% be back to do this again. If you get a chance, I highly recommend that you do this while in Hawaii, either as a visitor or Kama’aina (local). Enjoy!
PS– Vera is the horse whisperer… (I don’t remember what that means, but I wrote it down while I was on the back of a horse, and I’m sticking with it.)

Horseback riding on a beautiful beach, Check!
My first time on a horse so I was a little nervous but the guide was helpful. The ride was nice and peaceful. This is a must do!

My sister and I had an enjoyable trail ride, even though we got rained on a bit. I was riding Tom, a big draft horse, and my sister was on Nick. Tom was the ultimate gentleman and was a pleasure to ride. Highly recommend him! He’s big but super gentle and a love. Our guide pointed out areas where various TV shows and movies had been filmed. Highly recommend this excursion for all ages. They make it very easy to get on your horse, using an elevated mounting platform. Couldn’t be easier. My sister is a newbie at riding and I own my own horse, but we each enjoyed, so doesn’t matter your experience level — you will have fun!

Turtle Bay resort is a beautiful private 800 acre resort that is quite nice. The stables are charming on the oceanfront and beautiful horses. The staff is very friendly and very polite. We did the sunset ride which is magnificent and takes the trails along the oceanfront and along the bays. Highly recommended we loved it.

We are not staying in Turtle Bay Resort however my wife and I went on a horse back ride there. It was hands down the best ride ever. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. Raul our guide was awesome. Beautiful views of the beach and mountains and great horses, Cody and Ni’oi. Horses from The Bachelor and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Wish we could do it again! We were able to book a private ride and the horses were allowed to gallop and canter. We’ve never been able to do that anywhere else we went for horseback rides. Highly recommend it!

My husband and I took the sunset ride and it couldn’t have been nicer! Our guide, Kylie, was amazing — she made it fun right from the beginning, introducing us to our horses as we mounted them from a deck comfortably and easily. The ride was a pleasure — 75 minutes, which was just enough.
Kylie’s enthusiasm for everything from the gorgeous scenery to the historical and entertainment significance of sites along our ride was engaging and infectious. We stopped at especially scenic spots where Kiley used our cameras for photos that we will especially treasure.
I recommend this to anyone vacationing here — We will definitely ride again when we return to Turtle Bay!

I booked a Sunday morning group ride one week in advance for two adults. The booking process was prompt and easy. The staff asks that you arrive 30 minutes early with pants and closed toe shoes. We did just that!
The check-​in was super easy, we checked in and signed away our lives.. .no really, we did! The golf carts to take people down to the stables were out of commission but it was just a five minute walk– no need to take a golf cart really.
We got to the stables and checked in with Raul who was really kind. I have nick-​named him Sprinkle man.. .hi Sprinkle man! In case you are reading! :) He was quick to get us fitted helmets and double checked that we really did sign our lives away.
After the complete check-​in, we were able to sit in a waiting area and just watch the ocean. Once the horses were ready for the next group, we swung on them and took a 45 minute leisure ride on a preset course. The horses do not go fast and you ride in a single file line, or as Raul said, Western Style.
This horseback riding experience was simply relaxing, enjoyable, and beautiful.
If you are looking for fast, open country, and the chance to test your horseback riding skills then this is not the place.
So happy we took the time to horseback ride on a Sunday afternoon. There was rain and shine during the ride, both made the experience very cool and memorable!

During our Unilocal Staycation we were honored to receive a super Kama’aina Unilocal deal which we took advantage of on Sunday. From booking our ride to the actual tour, everything was smooth, easy and couldn’t have been handled better or more pleasant.
This is a very, very easygoing horseback riding experience that goes along a well worn path that takes you around the shoreline of the resort grounds, onto the sandy beach where you’ll ride around a historic military pillbox, around Kawela Bay, through the famous Banyan Tree forest and then back along the walking trails until you reconnect and head back to the stables.
Very scenic, very lovely and something you should try and experience once whether you are a kama’aina or visitor to the islands.
The staffers were amazing, helpful and friendly. They took an easy ride and made it enjoyable and informative which was a great touch. Kudos to the Turtle Bay Resort for having such excellent employees throughout the property.

Had a really pleasant beachside ride on a Sunday morning.
Let me preface this review: the last horseback-​riding experience I’d had was MISERABLE. It was a three-​hour ride on a Kohala ranch on the Big Island. Seemed like it would have been lovely, but halfway out, about the farthest point away from the stables, it started POURING. We’re talking a biblical-​proportions deluge. So we and our poor horses had to slog through the driving rain with no shortcuts. They had given us duster coats to wear, but they were no match for what fell from the skies. Sitting on a wet horse in a wet coat, my animal-​dander allergies kicked into overdrive. I had hives the rest of the day and was still a sneezy, wheezy histamine mess the next. Miserable, I tell you! So I haven’t exactly been enthusiastic about getting back onto a horse any time soon.
So what made this ride appealing, after all that?
First, we had a coupon, and there are kama’aina rates. I’m thrifty, so big appeal there. :)
Second, the trail goes along the coast of the resort property for much of the ride. Combination of beach views and woods and lots of fresh air.
Third, no rain in the forecast!
Finally, it’s a short ride — we were on the horses for about an hour. Another nice touch is their wooden porch-​like platform from which you mount your horses, so you don’t have to heave yourself up and over onto the saddle. The guides will tell you your horse’s name, and what the name means, if it’s Hawaiian. (I rode Hiapo, which means firstborn.)
Serious riders will be really disappointed by the nose-​to-​tail slow pace, but for horse novices and keiki, it’s perfect. It was just long enough that my butt wasn’t sore from sitting in the saddle!
Two guides, one in front and one in back, plus only about half a dozen riders, so it’s relatively intimate. The guides have some bits of trivia that they tell you along the trail, and they were responsive and knowledgeable with questions. You’ll go past Kawela Bay and the banyan tree, where Lost and the Hunger Games were filmed. You’ll see a WWII-​era pillbox and lovely views of the Pacific. The horses are very docile, too. Turtle Bay is a sort of retirement home for rodeo horses, and it’s not bad to be a horse on Oahu’s North Shore. The horses love the sweet grass on the sides of the trail, so we had to guide them back from time to time (Mine was a big snacker! I get you, Hiapo. I get you.), but they were easily led back onto the trail.
We reserved our spaces the day before. We checked in at the Hele Huli adventure center 30 min before our ride, then walked down to the stables to get fitted for helmets. If there’s nobody out to greet you, walk around to the right, where there’s a small porch and sliding-​glass door.
Kama’aina $ 50 each. I think regular rates are $ 70. They have several other options, including a keiki pony experience, more private rides for advanced riders, and a sunset ride.

We had an awesome time horseback riding last week. We had a good deal as a Kama’aina so that was even better! It was my kids first time horseback riding… ages 8 and 14. They had a memorable experience. The trail had amazing views of the beach. The staff were very informative and friendly which is a plus. I will definitely be back to horseback ride on our next stay-​cation here at Turtle Bay!

Amazing experience! It was my first time horseback riding and the staff was very friendly and very informative. They chose the horse that best fit me for my size and as a first timer.
The trails were very nice and love that we were able to ride along the beach and through some very neat areas. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the island and was fun to conversate with throughout our trail.
I would definitely come back and do it again. Was very relaxing.

With a picture-​perfect red barn and an ocean-​blue backdrop, this is the place to go when you’ve got the urge to saddle up and release your inner cowgirl.
My five year old was looking forward to riding horses on our trip to the North Shore. This was my influence, as I thought it would be the most ideal thing to do during our out-​of-​town staycation. Our dreams of riding, however, were dashed when I found out the minimum age to ride is age 7… a whopping 14 months away for my daughter.
Undaunted, I asked if there was anything my little one could do, and found out about «The Pony Experience.» Excited, my daughter strapped on her new leather boots and skinny jeans, and we headed down to the stable for what I hoped would be a comparable amount of fun.
Yee-​haw! I was happy to discover it was even better than hoped. She got to brush, clean and saddle up a Shetland pony under the watchful and instructive eye of a very friendly employee. After that, she was safely led around the grass while Mom & Dad trailed behind, snapping pictures like paparazzi.
The smile on her face was worth it, as was the price ($ 25 for kamaaina). So much fun! We’d definitely do it again.

Forgot to write a review about this place during my last visit to HI. Couple of my friends and I decided to spend the afternoon driving to Turtle bay resort for lunch and go horseback riding. What a pretty beach!
I’m not a beach person but there are exceptions. It was $ 50 for 1 hour ride where we were escorted by two guides. They were very friendly and the experience was phenomenal. I can see myself doing this everyday!
If you’re visiting Honolulu, make sure to stop by for a wonderful lunch at the outside bar in the resort and head over for a leisurely horse back ride along the beach.